The present invention relates to a system that utilizes support bearings, and more particularly to a system that identifies bearing wear in response to a first component moving into contact with a second component.
Electric motors are utilized in numerous systems. Aircraft often utilize electric motor driven fan systems to circulate airflow within the aircraft cabin. In time, a rotor bearing may fail and the rotor shaft may be displaced from coaxial rotation about its axis of rotation. As the off-axis motor rotor continues to rotate, the motor rotor may lightly rub the interior of a motor stator. The rubbing is typically not significant enough to trip the aircraft circuit breakers or motor stator embedded thermal protector switch circuit, however, the rubbing may cause a slight burning electrical insulation smell within the aircraft cabin.
Although not a safety concern, aircraft operational requirements necessitate that the fans follow on-condition maintenance operation criteria and never cause an electrical smell in the cabin. An on-condition maintenance operation criterion denotes no periodic maintenance until an event indication signal is generated by the system.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an electric motor bearing failure identification system that meets an on-condition maintenance operation criterion and identifies a bearing failure prior to the generation of an electrical smell that can be identified within an aircraft cabin.